The instant invention relates to toy amusement games and more particularly to a toy game device of the general type wherein a game player must perform certain prespecified manipulative activities within a set period of time in order to achieve a game score.
Game devices which incorporate amusing and interesting themes and which require game players to perform skillful manipulations to achieve game scores have generally been found to have relatively high levels of play value. Further, game devices of this type which require game players to perform game activities within set periods of time have been found to have particularly high levels of appeal. For example, the devices disclosed in the applicants U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,783,074; 4,802,668; 4,826,160; and 4,826,176 and patent applications Ser. Nos. 07/273,221; 07/273,222; and 07/273,223 have been found to be highly popular and to have high levels of amusement value. In this regard, the devices disclosed in these patents and patent applications require game players to perform various prespecified game activities within set periods of time and they are adapted to incorporate various different and amusing types of action movements. For these reasons, they have generally been found to be successful and popular game devices. However, while the devices disclosed in the applicant's aforesaid U.S. patents represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware, they fail to suggest a device having the novel and amusing features of the game device of the subject invention and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with respect thereto.
The instant invention provides an effective and amusing game device which is operative with interesting and amusing forms of game movements and which requires game players to perform skillful manipulations to achieve game scores. Specifically, the game device of the instant invention is preferably adapted to incorporate a "lumber jack" theme wherein a game player must manipulate a lumber jack character to chop down a tree within a set period of time in order to prevent the tree and a buzzard character figure on the tree from being ejected upon the expiration of the set period of time. The toy game device of the instant invention comprises a base, a timer on the base which is actuatable for a set period of time, a plurality of game elements which are receivable in a substantially vertical stack, game element retaining means on the base for removably retaining the game elements in stacked relation during the set period of time and game element engaging means which is actuatable by a game player for engaging the game elements to individually remove them from the stack during the set period of time. The game elements preferably comprise game element discs having outwardly opening slots therein and the game elements are preferably supported in stacked relation on the base. The game element retaining means preferably comprises a substantially vertical post which is removably receivable in the slots in the game elements with the game elements assembled in a substantially verticle stack on the base. The post is preferably operatively connected to the timer for rotating the post and any game elements received thereon during the set period of time. The game element retaining means is preferably operable for rotating the stack of game elements during the set period of time and for retaining the game elements so that they are individually removable from the stack by individually moving each game element so that the post passes outwardly through the respective slot therein. The game element retaining means preferably further comprises a cap on the post which in engageable with the uppermost game element in the stack of game elements for further retaining the game elements on the base. The cap preferably includes a secondary character figure and it preferably descends with the uppermost game element in the stack as the game elements are individually removed from the lower portion of the stack. The toy game device preferably further includes means for ejecting both the retaining means and any game elements remaining in the stack upon the expiration of the set period of time in the event that all of the game elements have not been removed from the stack. The game element engaging means preferably includes a primary character figure which is pivotable about a substantially vertical axis for individually engaging game elements as they descend to an engagement station above the base. The primary character figure is preferably biased to a position of engagement with the game element located at the engagement station at any given time and manually pivotable away from the engagement station so that when released, the primary character figure is propelled into engagement with the game element located at the engagement station for removing it from the stack.
It has been found that the instant invention provides an effective toy game device which has a high level of play value. Specifically, it has been found that the toy game device of the instant invention is adapted to effectively incorporate an interesting game theme and that it can be effectively utilized for playing a challenging and amusing game. More specifically, it has been found that a significant amount of amusement can be derived from manipulating the primary character figure to individually engage the game elements so that they are removed from the stack as the timer is advanced toward an unwound position.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a toy game device wherein game elements are individually removed from a stack of game elements during a set period of time.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a toy game device which is adapted to incorporate a novel and interesting game theme.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a novel and amusing toy game device of the general type wherein a game player must perform certain prespecified manipulative activities within a set period of time in order to achieve a game score.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.